Gender and Racial Issues

The main character in the novel Ti-Jeanne had been trying to avoid Rudy, a man who apparently have a child with her. The relationship of both characters from the past towards the present has actually displayed the different issues that gender differences are subjected to right now. Women are likely understood by the human society as the weaker vessel in the human community. Most often than not, this fact has made it easier for the society to present women as the gender division in the society that comes only as the second important group of population in the human community.Today, media is considered to be the most influential matter in the society today. Likely, the said medium of entertainment has directly affected the ways by which people react upon the different norms in the society today including that of the issues regarding gender differences. For this study, the process by which media presents women through movies and television programs shall be discussed with clarity and ca reful understanding. Considerably, this study shall present the different impacts by which media intends to point out the differences between men and women in the society today.During the 1950’s just after the world war events, women were rather presented in a much traditional manner that made them appear accustomed to the household activities. Their roles during the war years were also presented in a much more radical approach showing that though they were considered weak, they made so much to contribute to the strength of the people who are fighting for the freedom of the human society during the said era in the human society. Ever since that particular era, the role of women in the society had been changing gradually.Likely, the said series of changes had also been shown through media presentations. Aside from that, the advancement of technology towards the modern society has actually made it possible for the presentation of the women population to be more practical and re alistic. In the novel of Hopkinson, it could be observed that the women culture has been presented in a rather developing way, whereas a supposed weak individual who is faced with all the necessary adjustments that needs to be dealt with in becoming more familiar with a new community gains power through confidence.On Racial Differences The entire reading in the said book could be separated within four particular sections that present the major focused thoughts of the authors of the said material. The said divisions are as follows: †¢ Each individual is rightfully disposed to have his or her own thinking with regards a certain issue in the society. The differences of the people make it easier for each person to see the importance of the said right towards each individual. The opinion of each person is particularly a reflection of his or her own experiences in life.†¢ As for this matter it could be observed that the election of the American society is divided in several ways that the opinions of people with regards who the rightful person to rule the nation wins the position of the most important authority who would have power over the different authorities of the nation altogether. †¢ In terms of several social issues, it could be observed that the American society have different opinions altogether that coming up with a single acceptable opinionated view about several matters is a certain sort of clash of ideas between individuals.†¢ Political issues in the American society appear to be among the largest element of diversity of the said community of different individuals. The background of each person and their wants as well shapes their decision in taking part in the society’s political standing today. †¢ Aggressiveness of the people towards having the best kind of government available is something that needs to be strongly identified by each individual who are taking part in the electoral practices at present.Constantly consid ering the differences of the individuals and giving them the rightful attention that they are due regardless of their race or their color may not be that easy to apply through this particular process of equalizing the social system. This is especially true when it comes to understanding the situation in a normalizing manner. Actual application of being fair to everyone regardless of their racial division is not an easy task to accomplish.Through the attention given to the needs of everyone else in the population of people concerned in the situation, it could be noted that the main aim of the system is to make equalizing programs work for serving the best values of the individuals concerned (Wyle, 2003). People are likely to be divided because of their cultural beliefs. This likely involves the importance of the major consideration given to the cultural diversity of each individual from the others who are present in a certain institution.Seeing them as persons having the same level o f needs of respect and same demands of attention shall equip the administrational authorities with the rightful skill and capability of handling such cases of differences in terms of race and culture. It should then be realized that deeply understanding the situation through narrowing the elements of effect through identification of human behavior as individuals and not as people divided by race, is the main key towards the successful application of the said proposed program or event.(Wyle, 12) From this outlined summary, it could be observed that the book points out that the diversity of the people today in the American society makes the political status of the said nation rather aggressive and progressive in several important ways. Further Implications of the Reading The society is mainly composed of many different individuals each having their own characteristics, social background, and cultural affinity producing diversity among the people.The unique personal characteristics of each individual radiates in the formation and development of the society as the former manifests as the foundation of the latter. As people compose the society, their unique and personal characteristics affect the formation and development of it including the differences in most major social factors and concepts. Included in this is the issue of race and social ethnicity. Race is mainly defined as the social characteristics localized within a certain social group that is shared through both biological characteristics and regional factor.Among the commonly included characteristics in this concept are the shared physical features in a certain social group such as color of skin and others. The concept of race is commonly used as the background factor in the personal identity of each individual. Ethnic background on the other hand plays more on the side of cultural affinity rather than on the physical manifestation. This concept similarly serves as the identity factor for each individua l as the ethnic background manifests as the primary link of an individual to his or her roots.On a sociological aspect, ethnic relations are formal and mandatory as associated with the birthright of an individual though the relationship of the subject with his or her ethnic background on a cultural aspect is viable wherein he or she can choose to deviate from it and affiliate him or herself to other cultural groups. Indeed, the concept of race and ethnic background serves as the anthropological factor determining the roots and family background of the involved subject.Another important factor associated with the concept of race and ethnic background is the issue of inequality and discrimination. Social groups are mainly formed through the unison and association of different unique individuals sharing a common factor, which can be of regional location, physical characteristics, blood relationship and cultural background. The people sharing a similar denominator established themselves together as a single social group with their own cultural identity.However, on a general sociological perspective, each social group based on race and ethnic background manifests to be a unique unit in the larger context. As the social race opens their group to the larger social aspect, issues of differences pertaining to their cultural issues, shared physical appearance, and anthropological factor as now brought up into the context (Rothenberg, 2001). As influenced by these issues, aspects of discrimination and social inferiority play now in the picture wherein the social groups in the general society are now segregated among the superior and inferior ones.The issue of discrimination in the sociological context is always based on a certain factor causing the said mentality or personal perspective. Commonly in the present society, physical appearance and cultural differences are the main fuels that affect the discriminative view towards the other social groups classifying the super ior from the inferior class. Indeed, the issue of race and ethnic factor becomes the basis for the segregation and discrimination in the people wherein the established inferior unit becomes oppressed compared by the superior class.This often manifests in the course of the development of each social groups in several aspects. An example of this concept is the racial discrimination that is dominant in the American society segregating the groups of the whites and the blacks wherein the former are considered superior than the later (Rothenberg, 2001). This discrimination often manifests in the several important social institutions such as the employment sector wherein most blacks are not qualified to be hired for higher executive positions because of their racial background.Another is the racial harassment that the blacks are receiving from most white factions who wants to further undermine and take advantage of the inferiority of the black people. However, this issue of discrimination is not based of the common connoted definition of the concept of race, which is through skin color. Instead, the real significant roots of the discriminative behavior within this society manifests to be from the anthropological and historical relationship of the two social groups namely the period of the slavery of the blacks and the social impression this has left on the mentality of the people.Indeed, the blacks were once victim of the physical oppression of slavery from the white people and this historical period has left a cultural and sociological scar on the impression of their race (Rothenberg, 2001). As these people are victimized and oppressed, their once status in the society still influence the perspective of the people in the present which comes in conflict with the pride and status of the other social groups.Because they were once slaves, other social groups do not want to be mixed and be on the same level with the black people thus, their cultural perspective develops to undermine the capacity and capabilities of the black people to hinder their equal social ascension (Rothenberg, 2001). This concept is widely prevailing in the present and most oppressed social minorities are still fighting their way against this discriminative behavior. Other oppressed social groups are those who are foreign to the land of the dominant race wherein the former were viewed to be inferior compare to the later.Victims of these views are the Hispanics, Irish, and other immigrants and refugees in the American society (Rothenberg, 2001). The dominant race allowed the intrusion of the foreign social group however, a demarcation line must still be implemented wherein the dominant will stay to be the superior in most social institutions and fields. This in part, manifested to have an oppressive effect on the minority faction wherein the superior class hinders their development and integration in the general society.Indeed, the issue of racial discrimination is not mainly attributed to the racial, ethnic and social differences of the involved parties but on the unresolved conflicts and issues between the involved social groups. Indeed, racial perception is not on the significance of the color of skin or cultural practice but on the personal perception and view of the people looking into the context. Indeed, the issue of racial discrimination is laid not oniological and sociological inferiority complex but instead on the concept regarding the social development between the two social groups.Because of this, the issue of racial discrimination indeed becomes illogical and unethical as something occurred in the past is not applicable on the present context. Instead, the discriminated social groups must be entitled to social affirmative actions as part of the assistance to the development and reintegration of the oppressed social groups. Instead of discriminating the oppressed social groups, social minorities must instead be assisted in their integration and association in the general social context to achieve a positive social status for both the involved social groups. Overall ReactionFrom the reading that has been presented herein, it could be noted that the people of the American society are indeed much directly concerned of the ways by which their thoughts and opinions are given high regard by the major sources of power in the nation, particularly that of the political sectors of the society. Form this particular learning, it is undeniable that the truth behind the importance of diversity indeed affects the progress of the entire country as one nations standing for further progress in the future. Reference: Brown Girl in the Ring, Nalo Hopkinson, Warner Aspect, 1998, 250 pp.

Lifestyle Choices Essay

The article â€Å"Lifestyle Choices† is a researched article that talks about the economy and how changes affect the people within it. The Starter research article contains informative information on daily lives about health care, in today’s modern society we go through various choices in life and different walks in situations weather it financial situations, family issues or even work related problems. This article shows how to outweigh the bad to good and exercise good habits to create a better lifestyle. This research goes back and covers the last thirty years dating back when technology was the grounds of being formed. Something’s I enjoy about life is the fact that grounds for technology were being formed when I as a baby had no knowledge or use of it, such as the children(s) today. Social class determines your lifestyle form of living; it’s the group you belong to based upon your financial situations. This is one research that cannot be control or determined you can be an upper class person or a lower class person and sometime due to the luck of a draw it can flip anytime. That’s what I like about the topic â€Å"Assessing Class† because their no way unless you have no improvements to access another class. What I learned from this article is that hasn’t shy away from any topics considering our lifestyle issues and situations. It clearly states the factors of social classes a great overview of information. This article very much fits into sociology as it apart of our daily lives which includes the study of human society and its origins, development, organizations, and institutions. The major findings come from the data or series of surveys that has been done over decades of study’s which mostly includes volunteers to complete most studies. Lifestyle studies can be best examined through ethnicity our race, age, and suburban areas of residency and sexual preferences. This information was supported and document by Michael Sobel (1983) which he states, acknowledges, and compares sociology to our daily lifestyle as a â€Å"Mode of living.† He also presents the concept of â€Å"stylistic unity† by which he means â€Å"the patterns of behavior which constitute that lifestyle are empirically common; i.e., similar patterns are shared by a sufficient number of others, relative to all others. This article fits well with chapter 1 (Seeing Sociology in Everyday Life) under â€Å"Marginality and Crisis. I believe it fits here because it’s bringing the recipe for looking at the world’s society from a sociological perspective. What is used to reshape the economy and separate them though classes. The difference between this article that sets it apart from non-scholarly periodicals, such as newspaper and magazine is the fact that non-scholarly periodicals are mainly used to entertain. This journal has an abstract, a descriptive summary, and properly cited. Non-Scholarly are not completely from a known source it can be made up and the timing of the report can be inaccurate at times. They serve a different audience. What I find similar of the two is they can be found in the same place or setting it is up to the reader to select the one needed as far as common within there is none they are two completely different types of sources and everything must be documented or researched differently. From the introduction, word fonts to work cited they are done accordingly to source or audience. Work Cited: Research Starters – Sociology https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rst&AN=37219700&site=ehost-live&scope=site John J Macionis, Sociology, The thirteenth Edition, The Sociological Perspective, 2010, 2008, 2007 (Pg.5-6)

Love letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Love letter - Essay Example I did not want things to become awkward between us, so I have been keeping my feelings inside. However, due to the strength of our friendship, I feel that I would be insulting you and our friendship if I did not confide in you about how I feel. We have been through so much together, growing up together, and my feelings for you have only increased over the years. While I would love something more to come from our friendship, if you do not return my feelings, then I would like your help in figuring out what I should do about these feelings that I have been having. Your friendship means a lot to me as it is; I would rather have you as just a friend, rather than nothing, so I am willing to make this work in whatever way you feel comfortable with, and that we can further benefit our friendship. I do not want my feelings to get in the way of an already amazing friendship. If you are willing to, I would also be willing to give us a try without others knowing. We can try out something more than a friendship under the radar, just until we can know if we can work this out or not. We could keep this on the down low until we understand more of what we want to do, and if we want to further our relationship. Again, if you are unwilling to do this, then I am up to working out something else with you. I would like to take our friendship to the next level, yet I also want to protect what is already there between us; your feelings in regards to this are very important to me, and I do not want to hurt them, nor do anything that might damage the friendship that we already have. My friendship for you has grown into a deep love and respect that I could never have thought possible. I would like to see something come of this, yet I am also willing to settle on the wonderful friendship that we have always had. You will always mean a lot to me, regardless of what you are to me – a

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 20

Economics - Essay Example In this context, it is proposed to study the case of Aer Lingus, the national carrier of Ireland, whose existing promotional mix shall be analyzed thereby helping provide a foundation to devise an improved marketing and communication plan that can be used to enhance the brand awareness thereby increasing the number of customers in the long run. Travelling to Ireland has never been cheaper. Be it travelling from North America across the transatlantic route or from any destination in Europe, the price disparity between destinations in Ireland and neighboring England is bewildering and more often than not the so called ‘budget’ airlines that promote a no frills offer have often left customer paying more than what they would have spent on a regular flight. Besides, all this is without the regular refreshments on offer. The most prominent form of advertising strategy currently followed by Aer Lingus relies extensively on the Internet wherein the primary emphasis is on flights to and from Ireland. The company has grown from a small carrier to Ireland’s principal carrier by thriving on the idea of the ‘no-frills airline’ concept, a business model that has been adopted by several European airlines such as Ryan air and Easyjet. Additionally, Aer Lingus offers inter - continental flights to and from the United States in addition to the newly opened route to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Most of Aer Lingus’ branding is based on web based advertising wherein it has adopted a bidirectional approach. For customer hailing from within Ireland, the company has used the local print and mass media through newspapers and television in order to keep the brand name afresh among the people. Secondly, in order to generate business from overseas customer flying into Ireland, the airline has established partnerships with several airline booking websites such as www.momondo.com,

James VI Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

James VI - Essay Example His father Henry Stewart but widely known as Lord Darnley. Darnley, he lost his life in a mysterious explosion at his residence. Just seven months after this Mary Queen of Scots was forced to surrender her throne as she was beaten by rebels. Mary went away and James was left alone. James was given the throne of Scotland at the age of fifteen months this is when he became King James VI of Scotland (Harris& McDonald 2006 ). Today, James I of England also known as James VI of Scotland has addressed to Parliament on the divine right of kings. This was very disappointing to Parliament after many conflicts between it and King James. King James made a horrible statement to all religious eyes that kings are a figure like God himself. "Kings are fairly known as Gods, for that they use a manner of likeness of divine power upon this planet." This surprised the listeners as he spoke regarding the similarity of kings and God. This sent awe throughout the square where the speech was made. Many have said that this will send the king straight to hell with no judgment what so ever. The king made some over the edge of the earth similarities between the power of God and the power of kings. This is an exert from his speech showing the similarities: "God has the power to create, or destroy, make, or unmake at his pleasure, to give life, or send death, to judge all, raise low things, and to make high things low at his pleasure, and to God are both soul and body due. And the like power have Kings; they make and unmake their subjects: they have the power of raising and casting down: of life, and of death: judges over all their subjects, and in all causes, and yet accountable to none but God only." (www.thedukeofyork.org/files/pdf/jamesi) This statement surprised a lot of church officials at the time and numerous protesters were there in opposition to the King. One protester held up a sign saying, "You are not God, he made the Bible." After the King saw this sign, he promised to translate the Bible to English. This is not certain to happen, as the King has a bad relationship with parliament. This might cause him to not have enough money to translate the Bible, but it will bring us to no conclusions. . As a result, James VI of Scotland was put on the English throne as James I. Like his predecessor, James was a passionate supporter of the Anglican Church. Because of this, he did not have much leniency for Puritan's demands for the improvement of the church. What little tolerance he had went to the agreement of a new translation of the Bible to English, called the King James Version or Authorized Version (www.biblelife.org/calvinism.htm ) (one of the most commonly used English translations today). Other than that, James disapproved of further modifications to church doctrines. Upset by the king's refusal, many Puritans left England to flee to Holland and later sail on the Mayflower, heading for a new life in the Americas. King James I, a shred Scotsman, was head of both the state and the church in England. He saw his subjects could defy him as their spiritual leader. He therefore threatened to harass the more bothersome Separatists out of the

What Might Succession Be A Critical Point in the Development of the Essay

What Might Succession Be A Critical Point in the Development of the Family Owned-And-Managed SME - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the family-owned small and medium-sized enterprises are the commercial organization that is related by marriage or blood and resolution creation is entirely influenced by several family generations. It is believed to be the oldest system of business organization that has advantages of commitment to quality and focuses in long term. It is critical for understanding circumstances that leads to unhealthy and healthy family SME. The family-owned SME is considered as common and oldest model of economic business organization. There are a massive majority of companies from multinational listed and corner shop listed administrations that can be regarded as the family owned small and medium-sized enterprises. The five critical points that involve at the development of family businesses are social capital, human capital, patient financial capital, low cost of governance and survivability capital. The inner circle and human capital are considered as the first resource and the primary element. In the form of external relationships and networking, the valuable social capital has been brought by the family members. The threat of liquidation is lessened by effective family relationships with managers and investors. The firms have an opportunity to provide emergency loans and free labor for survivability capital of their family members. In perspective to infrastructure dimension, the strengths of family firms are innovative, informal, entrepreneurial and flexible. The organizational structure is believed to be effective and simple. This is primarily because the hierarchical position of family-owned SME is simple. Family members have the better understanding of each other. This enables to family businesses to expand globally. Most of the family-owned small and medium-sized enterprises are considered to have compact informal training. The mixture of younger and older individuals adds something new to the family business operation. The family members involved in SME are believed to be more committed to help a business grow and survive. The employee relations for family businesses are better.

Florida Merid Award Program evaluation Term Paper - 1

Florida Merid Award Program evaluation - Term Paper Example A school district may make available extra pay supplements for the workers who display good work attendance. The awarding of the additional payment is done in accordance with an assessment of the performance of the employee. Student performance, mainly, forms the base for the assessment. School-based administrator’s assessment is based on student’s (as a group) performance. School teachers get evaluated by the school principal while school-based administrators get evaluated by the district superintendents. The evaluation is done in relation to their (teachers and administrators) specific assessments (Chait, 2007). Teachers form a foundation of all reform efforts in education. Improvement of teaching workforce quality results to the success of the teachers. According to research, a well performing teacher is an asset to all students, especially those who live in poverty. In merit pay for teachers, teachers are offered incentives in form of money so as to improve the performance of students in their respective classes and performance of the school at large (Buddin et al, 2007). The Florida merit award program has proved to be successful and advantageous in a number of ways. Some of the strengths of the program include: The program also motivates employees. Research indicates that an increase of one percent may increase the performance of the employees by about two percent. However, providing bonuses for good performance is more effective as compared to automatic pay rise since it can elevate the performance of an employee to as much as nineteen percent Merit award program attracts qualified applicants or candidates to the profession of teaching, since incomes vary largely and have a basis on the strength of local teachers unions and local tax revenue The results received are positive. The program enhances high productivity or increased work quality as result of employees working

Personal Learning Profile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal Learning Profile - Essay Example feel delighted with certain courses that have been helping me to acquire useful life skills that can be of much value to me in tackling day to day challenges. In order to know much about myself, I had to carry out a self assessment. This, I did by keeping a daily journal throughout the semester. I was decided to take such an initiative because it is a better way of recording every event, activity and incident that could help me to evaluate my strengths and weaknesses. Actually, I later realized that the keeping of this journal was a good idea for me because it enabled me to exactly know what kind of student I really am (Roberts, 2006). Even if the journal enabled me to prove some of the earlier beliefs I had about myself, it also gave me a platform to learn about different qualities that I never thought I possess. Such knowledge was a clear indication that before then, I had a different version of myself. The first view I had of myself before the evaluating the journal is that I have been a very hard working student. All along, I had been yearning to be an economist. So, by managing to enroll for this course, I knew that I had already achieved my goal. In my opinion, this success did not come by chance, but was purely based on my hard work. May be, if I was not an industrious student, I would not have made it to the higher level of learning. I was as well convinced of my hard work since I had been excelling in this course and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) that I have been studying. For a very long time, I have not been scoring dismal marks in my examinations. These are the reasons why I had assumed that I am a hardworking student. I would like to categorically state that the same thing was confirmed by my journal. After carefully and objectively evaluating my journal, I confirmed that I have actually been a hard working student. The daily records in my journal indicated that I have been spending a lot of time studying and working on the quizzes given by my

Constitutional and Administrative Law of UK Essay

Constitutional and Administrative Law of UK - Essay Example The researcher states that Constitutional Conventions are similar in nature to Customs. They are followed by the State but there is no such mandate which specifically allows for their implementation. However, even though there is no specific law which demands their implementation, they are considered to be an integral part of the idea of Constitution, and through such believes they are practised by the people of the State. â€Å"Dicey defined Constitutional Conventions as Ê ºÃ¢â‚¬ ¦. rules for determining the mode in which the discretionary powers of the Crown (or ministers or servants of the Crown) ought to be exercised. Furthermore, he stated that conventions are constitutional rules, which are not laws in the strict sense which are designed to control the use of discretionary power by the Crown.† Such conventions form an integral part of the State machinery along with the practise of the Constitution. â€Å"A convention is an accepted way in which things are done. They ar e not written down in law but tend to be old, established practices – the way they have always been done. Though these conventions are not set in legal stone, their very existence over the years has invariably lead to the smooth operation of government.† Conventions are distinct from law as they are positive political morality and should be put to place in order to secure the verdict of the electorate. â€Å"It is a convention that if something in government goes wrong, the cabinet will all sing the same song and support the minister who may be receiving all manner of criticism from the media.†... the Constitution about the way a State is supposed to divide its powers between the three organs namely the Judiciary, the Legislature and the Executive. The Legislature is designed to frame laws which have to be implemented by the Executive in full force. The legislation exercises its right through the implementation of the policies of the conventions. The executive has the responsibility of executing the policies which have been created by the Legislature in lieu of the will of the people. â€Å"It is a convention that the queen will accept the legislation passed by the government. In the past, the fear of what happened to Charles I has usually ensured a harmonious relationship between monarch and Parliament! When Charles II became king in 1660, the rule of thumb was for Parliament to give the king enough money per year to maintain a royal lifestyle but for him not to get involved in politics. This worked tolerably well and monarchs and Parliament had usually worked well since the n especially as Parliament held the monarch’s purse. Now in the C21st, it is just accepted that the queen will give parliamentary legislation the Royal Assent. It is almost beyond belief that she would not do so – the constitutional crisis this would create would be huge.† Deriving from the above point of view, all the actions in the exercise of sovereignty are defined within the realms of constitutional conventions. By not having a written Constitution, the State of England has always been in the situation to exercise the fundamentals of the Constitution through these conventions. Through this method the conventions are the main link which connects the will of the people with the Constitutional mandate. The will of the electorate has to be upheld and followed in strict measures and the

Starbucks - Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Starbucks - - Case Study Example Additionally, the paper will describe the role of sustainable development in Starbuck’s approach to social responsibility. The Starbuck 2003 Corporate Social Responsibility Report, Titled â€Å"Living Our Values,† defines the coffee retailer’s approach to social responsibility. The approach focuses on partners, diversity, coffee product, customers, community and environment, and profitability. The three concepts of social responsibility are profit responsibility, stakeholder responsibility, and societal responsibility (Kerin et al, 2010). In relation to profit responsibility, a company should maximize profits for the stakeholders without taking advantage of supply shortages to charge very high prices on products. Starbuck’s observes profit responsibility by selling its product via supermarkets, the company’s retail shops, and by extension taking the Starbuck’s coffee experience to the employer’s offices. It uses low profit grocery market segments, retail business cafes, coffee kiosks, high profit margin kiosks, and corporate cafeterias to reinforce and serve its products using high-class experience. It embraces supplier diversity, pays its coffee suppliers well, and conserves their environment. These measures guarantees high and well deserved profits. Where, profits are significant for the growth of Starbuck’s, profitability is placed last as it depends on adherence to partners, diversity, coffee/product, customers, community and environment principles. In relation to stakeholder’s responsibility, a company focuses on stakeholders that can contribute to the achievement of its objectives. Indeed, the coffee retail shop encourages its partners, to stick to the mission statement, comment on deviations from Starbuck 2003 Corporate Social Responsibility Report, participate, and analyze management decisions. In addition, Starbuck’s accords

Raina Petkoff and her Cover-up Essay Example for Free

Raina Petkoff and her Cover-up Essay Bernard Shaws works make us doubt principles and ideals, which we accepted without a question. The economic status of the Petkoffs is one of wealth, and the fact that they are rich makes us think of a well-mannered and educated family, especially the young girl. The young girl should give us a sense of nobility and in fact she does in this story. The young girl in Arms and the Man gives us the impression that she is an ideal daughter, lover and citizen. But is she really? This girl tries to portray this stereotypical personality but proves not to be quite the noble girl she plays. At a certain point she sees herself in a very compromising position and is forced to change. As the play begins and we start getting to know this girl, Raina Petkoff we start noticing that she is a bit vain. The stage directions go as follows: On the balcony a young lady, intensely conscious of the romantic beauty of the night, and of the fact that her own youth and beauty are part of it (1561). This excerpt takes away some of the innocence she portrays in a subtle way. The next deception comes when the Swiss enters through the window; instead of screaming for help she decides to help him hide. She even lies to the Bulgarian officer who is looking for the Swiss, betraying her own country. Raina and the Swiss get to know each other a little, and with his experience he can see right through her. He instantly discovered the superficial coating over a very rough interior. The mother, Catherine, proves to be the same when she abandons her patriotism and loyalty and helps the Serb officer to hide and even escape the next morning. Like father, like son they say. But the biggest surprise comes when the Swiss or Serbian officer or Bluntschli blows Rainas cover. Raina is outraged or pretends to be when Bluntschli throws the truth at her face. He calls her a liar and insists on it. She gets furious at first, but gives in when she realizes shes got no way out. Her reaction is: I! I!!!How did you find me out? (1591). And here she confesses that the noble attitude and the thrilling voice is just a cover-up. This is Rainas turning point. We could say that at this point she went from being a girl to being a woman; at this point she matured. Another important fact to my case is the picture of herself she left in the jacket for Bluntschli to find, and the message it contained. My chocolate cream soldier (1603) is the name Raina gives Bluntschli in the dedication of the picture. This title given to Bluntschli suggests some type of affection that at this point is obvious but if the audience had learned of it as it happened chronologically it would be very shocking. After the turning point described above, Raina becomes a more outgoing and sincere person. She describes her own cover-up personality as a noble attitude and thrilling voice (1591) to Bluntschli. Raina also says Bluntschli is the first person that didnt take her fake personality seriously. She confesses to the point that she mocks the people who believe her noble self by saying: I did it when I was a child to my nurse. She believed in it. I do it before my parents. They believe in it. I do it before Sergius. He believes in it (1591). That incident of calling her a liar made Raina mature. It was a turning point in the life of this character and in the plot of Arms and the Man. Bernard Shaw uses his comedies to criticize many ideals by mocking them. In the case of Arms and the Man he takes the nobility of a wealthy, respected family and destroys it by mocking many of its aspects. In this essay I analyze how Shaw takes the view of innocence of a young, noble, rich girl and changes it to make it crude reality, he makes the Petkoffs look like common people with very little nobility. Works Cited Shaw, George Bernard. Arms and the Man. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and the Essay. Ed. Robert DiYanni. 5th Ed. New York: McGraw, 2002. 1561-1604.

Wireless Lan Applications Areas Computer Science Essay

Wireless Lan Applications Areas Computer Science Essay G. Marconi invented the wireless telegraph in 1896. In 1901, he sent telegraphic signals across the Atlantic Ocean from Cornwall to St. Johns Newfoundland; a distance of 1800 miles. His invention allowed two parties to communicate by sending each other alphanumeric characters encoded in an analog signal. Over the last century, advances in wireless technologies have led to the radio, the television, the mobile telephone, and communication satellites. All types of information can now be sent to almost every corner of the world. Recently, a good attention has been focused on wireless networking. Early wireless LAN products, introduced in the late 1980s, were marketed as substitutes for traditional wired LANs. Wireless networking is allowing businesses to develop WANs, MANs, and LANs without cabling. A wireless LAN saves the cost of the installation of LAN cabling and eases the task of relocation and other modifications to network structure. The IEEE has developed 802.11 as a standard for wireless LANs. The Bluetooth industry consortium is also working to provide a seamless wireless networking technology. The impact of wireless communications has been and will continue to be profound. Very few inventions have been able to shrink the world in such a manner. The standards that define how wireless communication devices interact are quickly converging and soon will allow the creation of a global wireless network that will deliver a wide variety of services. 1.2 Over view As the name suggests, a wireless LAN is one that makes use of a wireless transmission medium. Until recently, wireless LANs were little used. The reasons for this included high prices, data rates, occupational safety concerns, and licensing requirements. As these problems have been now addressed, the popularity of wireless LANs has grown rapidly. 1.3 Wireless LAN Applications Areas: There are four application areas for wireless LANs: LAN extension, Cross- building interconnect, Nomadic access and Ad hoc networks. LAN Extension The motivation for wireless LANs was overtaken by events. First, as awareness of the need for LANs became greater, architects designed new buildings to include extensive pre wiring for data applications. Second, with advances in data transmission technology, there is an increasing reliance on twisted pair cabling for LANs and in particular, Category3 and Category 5 unshielded twisted pair. However, in some environments, there is a role for the wireless LAN as an alternative to a wired LAN. Examples include buildings with large open areas. In most of these cases, an organization will also have a wired LAN to support servers and some stationary workstations. Thus, this application area is referred to as LAN extension. There is a backbone wired LAN, such as Ethernet, that supports servers, workstations, and one or more bridges or routers to link with other networks. In addition, there is a Control Module (CM) that acts as an interface to a wireless LAN. The control module includes either bridge or router functionality to link the wireless LAN to the backbone. It includes some sort of access control logic, such as a polling or token-passing scheme, to regulate the access from the end systems. Cross- Building Interconnect Another use of wireless LAN technology is to connect LANs in nearby buildings, be they wired or wireless LANs. In this case, a point-to-point wireless link is used between two buildings. The devices so connected are typically bridges or routers. This single point-to-point link is not a LAN per se, but it is usual to include this application under the heading of wireless LAN. Nomadic Access Nomadic access provides a wireless link between a LAN hub and mobile data terminal equipped with an antenna, such as a laptop computer or notepad computer. Nomadic access is also useful in an extended environment such as a campus or a business operating out of a cluster of buildings. Ad Hoc Networking An ad hoc network is a peer-to-peer network (no centralized server) set up temporarily to meet some immediate need. For example, a group of employees, each with a laptop or palmtop computer may convene in a conference room for a business or classroom meeting. The employees link their computers in a temporary network just for the duration of the meeting. There are differences between a wireless LAN that supports LAN extension and nomadic access requirements and an ad hoc wireless LAN. In the former case, the wireless LAN forms a stationary infrastructure consisting of one or more cells with a control module for each cell. Within a cell, there may be a number of stationary end systems. Nomadic stations can move from one cell to another. In contrast, there is no infrastructure for an ad hoc network. Rather, a peer collection of stations within range of each other may dynamically configure themselves into a temporary network. Fig 1.1 Wireless LAN Configurations 1.4 Wireless LAN Requirements A wireless LAN must meet the same sort of requirements typical of any LAN, including high capacity, ability to cover short distances, full connectivity among attached stations, and broadcast capability. In addition, there are a number of requirements specific to the wireless LAN environment. The following are among the most important requirements for wireless LANs. Throughput: The medium access control protocol should make as efficient use as possible of the wireless medium to maximize capacity. Number of nodes: Wireless LANs may need to support hundreds of nodes across multiple cells. Connection to backbone LAN: In most cases, interconnection with stations on a wired backbone LAN is required. For infrastructure wireless LANs, this is easily accomplished through the use of control modules that connect to both types of LANs. There may also need to be accommodation for mobile users and ad hoc wireless networks. Service area: A typical coverage area for a wireless LAN has a diameter of 100 to 300m. Battery power consumption: Mobile workers use battery-powered workstations that need to have a long battery life when used with wireless adapters. This suggests that a MAC protocol that requires mobile nodes to monitor access points constantly or engage in frequent handshakes with a base station is inappropriate. Typical wireless LAN implementations have features to reduce power consumption while not using the network, such as a sleep mode. Transmission robustness and security: Unless properly designed, a wireless LAN may be interference prone and easily eavesdropped. The design of a wireless LAN must permit reliable transmission even in a noisy environment and should provide some level of security from eavesdropping. Collocated network operation: As Wireless LANs become more popular, it is quite likely for two or more wireless LANs to operate in the same area or in some area where interference between the LANs is possible. Such interferee may thwart the normal operation of a MAC algorithm and may allow unauthorized access to a particular LAN. License-free operation: Users would prefer to buy and operate wireless LAN products without having to secure a license for the frequency band used by the LAN. Handoff/roaming: The MAC protocol used in the wireless LAN should enable mobile stations to move from one cell to another. Dynamic configuration: The MAC addressing and network management aspects of the LAN should permit dynamic and automated addition, deletion, and relocation of end systems without disruption to other users. 1.5 The Trouble with Wireless Wireless is convenient and often less expensive to deploy than fixed services, but wireless is not perfect. There are limitations, political and technical difficulties that may ultimately prevent wireless technologies from reaching the other side with full potential. Two limiting issues are incompatible standards and device limitations. Device limitations also restrict the free flow of data. The small LCD on a mobile telephone is inadequate for displaying more than a few lines of text. In additions, most mobile wireless devices cannot access the vast majority of WWW sites on the Internet. The browsers use a special language, wireless markup language (WML), instead of the de facto standard HTML. Most likely, no one wireless device will be able to meet every need. The potential of wireless can be met but not with a single product. Wireless will succeed because it will be integrated into a variety of devices that can meet a variety of needs. 1.6 Fading in the Mobile Environment Perhaps the most challenging technical problem being faced by communication systems engineers is fading in a mobile environment. The term fading refers to the time variation of received signal power caused by changes in the transmission medium or path(s). In a fixed environment, fading is affected by changes in atmospheric conditions, such as rainfall. But in a mobile environment, where one of the two antennae is moving relative to the other, the relative location of various obstacles changes over time, creating complex transmission effects. 1.6.1 Types of Fading Fading effects in a mobile environment can be classified as either fast or slow. Referring to Fig 1.2, as the mobile unit moves down a street in an urban environment, rapid variations in signal strength occur over distances of about one-half a wavelength. The rapidly changing waveform is an example of the spatial variation of received signal amplitude. The changes of amplitude can be as much as 20 or 30 dB over a short distance. This type of rapidly changing fading phenomenon, known as fat fading, affects not only mobile devices in automobiles, but even a mobile phone user walking down an urban street. As the mobile user covers distances well in excess of a wavelength, the urban environment changes, as the user passes buildings of different heights, vacant lots, intersections, and so forth. Over these longer distances, there is a change in the average received power level about which the rapid fluctuations occur. This is referred to as slow fading. Lamp Post B D C A Fig 1.2 Mobile unit signal reflections Fading channel models are often used to model the effects of electromagnetic transmission of information over the air in cellular networks and broadcast communication. Fading channel models are also used in underwater acoustic communications to model the distortion caused by the water. Mathematically, fading is usually modeled as a time-varying random change in the amplitude and phase of the transmitted signal. 1.6.2 Slow vs. Fast Fading The terms slow and fast fading refer to the rate at which the magnitude and phase change imposed by the channel on the signal changes. The coherence time is a measure of the minimum time required for the magnitude change of the channel to become decorrelated from its previous value. Slow fading arises when the coherence time of the channel is large relative to the delay constraint of the channel. In this regime, the amplitude and phase change imposed by the channel can be considered roughly constant over the period of use. Slow fading can be caused by events such as shadowing, where a large obstruction such as a hill or large building obstructs the main signal path between the transmitter and the receiver. The amplitude change caused by shadowing is often modeled using a log-normal distribution with a standard deviation according to the Log Distance Path Loss Model. Fast Fading occurs when the coherence time of the channel is small relative to the delay constraint of the channel. In this regime, the amplitude and phase change imposed by the channel varies considerably over the period of use. In a fast-fading channel, the transmitter may take advantage of the variations in the channel conditions using time diversity to help increase robustness of the communication to a temporary deep fade. Although a deep fade may temporarily erase some of the information transmitted, use of an error-correcting code coupled with successfully transmitted bits during other time instances (interleaving) can allow for the erased bits to be recovered. In a slow-fading channel, it is not possible to use time diversity because the transmitter sees only a single realization of the channel within its delay constraint. A deep fade therefore lasts the entire duration of transmission and cannot be mitigated using coding. Flat vs. Frequency-selective Fading As the carrier frequency of a signal is varied, the magnitude of the change in amplitude will vary. The coherence bandwidth measures the minimum separation in frequency after which two signals will experience uncorrelated fading. In flat fading, the coherence bandwidth of the channel is larger than the bandwidth of the signal. Therefore, all frequency components of the signal will experience the same magnitude of fading. In frequency-selective fading, the coherence bandwidth of the channel is smaller than the bandwidth of the signal. Different frequency components of the signal therefore experience decorrelated fading. In a frequency-selective fading channel, since different frequency components of the signal are affected independently, it is highly unlikely that all parts of the signal will be simultaneously affected by a deep fade. Certain modulation schemes such as OFDM and CDMA are well-suited to employ frequency diversity to provide robustness to fading. OFDM divides the wideband signal into many slowly modulated narrowband subcarriers, each exposed to flat fading rather than frequency selective fading. This can be combated by means of error coding, simple equalization or adaptive bit loading. Inter-symbol interference is avoided by introducing a guard interval between the symbols. CDMA uses the Rake receiver to deal with each echo separately. Frequency-selective fading channels are also dispersive, in that the signal energy associated with each symbol is spread out in time. This causes transmitted symbols that are adjacent in time to interfere with each other. Equalizers are often deployed in such channels to compensate for the effects of the inter symbol interference. Fading effects can also be classified as flat or selective. Flat fading, or nonselective fading, is that type of fading in which all frequency components of the received signal fluctuate in the same proportions simultaneously. Selective fading affects unequally the different spectral components of a radio signal. The term selective fading is usually significant only relative to the bandwidth of the overall communications channel. If attenuation occurs over a portion of the bandwidth of the signal, the fading is considered to be selective; nonselective fading implies that the signal bandwidth of interest is narrower than, and completely covered by, the spectrum affected by the fading.

Has Globalisation Changed The Disposition Of Music Cultural Studies Essay

Has Globalisation Changed The Disposition Of Music Cultural Studies Essay To begin with the globalisation of music, we will have to understand that Intuitively, globalization is a process fuelled by, and resulting in, increasing cross-border flows of goods, services, money, people, information, and culture (Held et al. 1999:16). Sociologist Anthony Giddens (1990:64; 1991:21) proposes to regard globalization as a decoupling or distanciation between space and time, while geographer David Harvey (1989) and political scientist James Mittelman (1996) observe that globalization entails a compression of space and time, a shrinking of the world. The discourses over globalization of music constructed over these debates of Giddens and Harvey. When we talk about globalisation, we are in a sense talking about unity of the states across the globe. How this unity is brought up? Then how does it link the states together? What are the major contributors in this unification process? Along with a myriad of intellectuals I will also sum- up with an answer, global- culture. However, it is one of the measures required for the unification process. One set of theorists, who are pro-global- culture say, that the global culture is making the world closer and more united. The people of the world are combining their differences and being more cooperative towards one and other. This process of emerging global culture can be seen in times of need when everyone has pulled together to strive for peace and freedom. Although, there exists a wide range of religions of which people are becoming tolerant, forming a homogenised society. If we say that the global culture is the synonym of the common culture, then there are wide range of opinion on it. Wight uses the term common culture so loosely that it is unclear whether he has in mind a deep, historic sense of culture, or the more superficial agreed rules that compose a contractual society. (James 1993: 277-8) Alan James, System or society?, Review of International Studies 19: 3, 1993. I argue that to certain extent global culture is a common culture among the people of the world. Worldbeat is a term for various styles of world popular music, or pop, that are practiced outside the European-American mainstream. The Popular music (music produced and marketed on a mass-commodity basis) first emerged in the early 1900s, during which time numerous distinctive popular music styles began to develop around the world. The rise of such genres was linked to dramatic transformations-especially urbanization and modernization-occurring throughout the world. Such changes disrupted traditional attitudes, lifestyles, and forms of artistic patronage, while creating new urban social classes with new musical tastes. As per Terence Lancashire, The term world music usually conjures up images of musics from remote corners of the world. However, that remoteness is not always geographical and can. The formal emergence of world music in 1987 as a commercial gloss denoting a body of music which hitherto defied conventional categorisation namely musics other than popular and classic forms from North America and Western Europe or, alternatively, the incorporation of such musics into Western popular genres, has met with a variety of responses from musicologists/ethnomusicologists seeking to clarify the dynamics that underlie the production and reception of world musics and the related and sometimes indistinguishable genres of new age and healing. Regional case studies and overviews (e.g. Frith 1991; Keil and Feld 1994; Taylor 1997) often draw attention towards the relationship between the West and the rest where production and presentation of non-Western music has often meant some form of Western control in terms of discovery, production, marketing and distribution. Accusations of cultural exploitation and appropriation have, therefore, often run central to the debate on what appears to be yet another dimension of that unbalanced and uneasy relation between the first and third worlds. In reality, the question of who is exploiting whom is often a complicated one as non-Western musicians find access to markets hitherto only dreamt of. Nevertheless, in order for such musical projects to be realised, financial backing is essential and it is here that resources are, more often than not, concentrated inthe West. Thus, a music flow from south to north and east to west seems to define the world music equation. Yet, there are other players who, through cultural ambiguity, occupy an alternative arena less easily defined. Economic development in the Far East, coupled with rapid modernisation, has meant the emergence of countries which share similar economic goals, cultural interests and perce ptions with the West but, resulting from other cultural differences, most obviously language, are not so often included in debates on musics both popular and world. (Lancashire: 21) Globalisation, which generally implies westernisation and the Asianisation of Asia, is often posited to be a culturally, economically, technologically and socially homogenising force in the distribution of music, whilst localisation refers to the empowerment of local forces and the (re)emergence of local music cultures. These two notions of globalisation and localisation seem to be mutually contradictory, posing a fundamental dilemma for the understanding of the transformation of popular cultures into global forms. As argued by Law (forthcoming), the debate between globality and locality, or between homogeneity and heterogeneity in globalisation discourse, could be regarded as a product of similar antagonisms in the literature of development concerning theories of modernisation, dependency and world systems. Although there is no clear definition or model of globalisation (Hirst and Thompson 1996), its discourse attempts to theorise the phenomenon in terms of The temporal and spatial compression of human activities on the globe, to recognise, explore and explain the interaction and interdependence of economics, politics and cultures beyond local, regional and national boundaries, and to predict possible influences on human activities (Law, forthcoming, also see, for example, Featherstone 1995; Comeliau 1997; Poisson 1998; Jones 1999; Crawford 2000; Croteau and Hoynes 2000). Cohen (1995) suggests that locality could be most usefully used in popular music studies to discuss networks of social relationships, practices, and processes extending across particular places, and to draw attention to interconnections and interdependencies between, for example, space and time, the contextual and the conceptual, the individual and the collective, the self and the other (p. 65). In this respect the local is defined by reference not only to a community, but also to a shared sense of place within global culture. Globalisation promotes the meeting of musical cultures, whilst sim ultaneously encouraging regional differences. Local popular industries perceive their potential audience in international terms, and local pop markets are now awash with global sounds, since, as Wallis and Malm (1984) maintain, globalisation encourages popular musical practices to look towards global styles for possible inspiration, whilst also looking inwards to (re)create national music styles and forms. For decades, critics have depicted the international circulation of American and British pop as cultural imperialism. Yet US-American and British youth have increasingly been shaped by Asian cultural. Similarly, there is wide-spread recognition of the willingness amongst popular musicians to create novel forms that express a widespread experience of dislocation (Jenkins 2001, p. 89). For example, contemporary Afro-pop sometimes combines the electric guitars of Western rock and roll with melodies and rhythms of traditional African music, whilst Western rock drummers have long adopted a tradition from Africa whereby the sounds of different drums are combined (Croteau and Hoynes 2000, p. 333). Jenkins (2001) describes such musical eclecticism as the product of third culture youths, who fuse elements from mixed racial, national or linguistic backgrounds. Although the big international music companies affect local production, their markets are also influenced by particular local cultures. So, globalisation signifies more than environmental interconnectedness, and the meaning of musical products with global features strikes at the heart of the major social and political issues of our time. This is how Bennett (1999) represents the attempts to rework hip hop as a localised mode of expression by Turkish and Moroccan youth in Frankfurt. Economic globalisation is often con sidered to undermine the local foundations of the popular culture industry. The flow of capital through transnational monetary tems and multinational companies means that words, ideas, images and sounds of different cultures are made available to vast networks of people through the transmission of electronic media. Among the most prominent multinational electronic media companies are two Internet partnerships MusicNet, involving AOL, RealNetworks, EMI, BMG and Warner; and Duet, incorporating Yahoo!, Universal and Sony. The two most recognised online music providers so far, Napster and MP3.com, have also linked up with record companies (Source: http://www.grayzone.com/ifpi61201.htm). Furthermore, the international division of labour and the global circulation of commodities have ensured that processes of production and consumption are no longer confined to a geographically bounded territory. Consequently, economic globalisation has been characterised as the deterritorialisation. ( H o: 144) (Appadurai 1996) or denationalisation (Sassen 1996) of nation-states. Global economic forces reside in global networks that link different nations and cultures in profit-maximising webs of production, leading to the transformation of all sectors of all state economies and their mutual accommodation in the global context (Crawford 2000, pp. 71-2). Negus (1999) maintains that the global market is a concept that has to be constructed in a particular way to target the most profitable categories of music within the recording industry (p. 156). However, as we have seen, the (re)emergence of local cultures competes with global factors in a process that Morley and Robins (1995) refer to as the new dynamics of re-localisation in The attempt to achieve a new global-local nexus, about new and intricate relations between global space and local space (p. 116). Levitt (1983) explains that localisation is practised by multinational companies insofar as they must have a committed operating presence in the markets of other nations. However, electronic communications have also enabled the global broadcasting of messages of universal peace and love, and, in the case of www. indymedia.org, have even served as anti-capitalist noticeboards. Anderson (1983) suggested that the nation depends for its existence upon a sense of social- psychological affiliation to an imagined community, which was facilitated by the emergence of the mechanical printing press and consequent capital investment (Negus and Roman-Velazquez, 2000, p. 330). Similarly nowadays, global electronic communications can evoke a sense of a trans-national imagined community. In music, an example can be well illustrated by the 11 September 2001 tragedies in New York and Washington D.C. The US-American national anthem was thundered Not only all over the States but also in other countries, such as at St Pauls Cathedral in London. Whitney Houstons record company intends to re-release her version of the US-American national anthem that was produced ten years ago during the Gulf War. International popular artists such as U2, Britney Spears, Limp Bizkit and Destinys Child, worked together for the album Whats Going On, the market profits from which will be donated to funds for the relief of the families of victims of the tragedies of September 11. John Lennons Imagine, which evokes a world free from all state boundaries, has now become popular even in some non-English speaking regions, and was sung by all the artists involved in the Carlsbergs Rock Music Concert held in Hong Kong on 24 September 2001, who also prayed for those who died in the disaster two weeks earlier. Globalisation and localisation are in a dynamic dialectic. Globalisation is a process of local hybridisation that determines a great number of processes that change and even transcend the regional and national characteristics of popular music. Current debates about globalisation in popular music show that local actors become increasingly involved in global flows of meanings, images, sounds, capital, people, etc. Through the technology of global networks, new affinity group formation emerge, centring on particular musical styles and ways of expression. Economic globalisation always has cultural effects on the localisation of popular music. (Ho: 146) Hudson and Cohen bring out the detail of local musical cultures, the way in which music, produced through and producing space, may act as social glue.(431) Does globalisation of music produce convergaence? The very first argument for the present paper is the consequences of the globalisation of music as to the convergence of societies towards a uniform pattern of cultural organization. AS expressed in modernization theory, the spread of markets and technology is predicted to cause societies to converge from their preindustrial past, although total homogeneity is deemed unlikely. The sociologists reject the convergence debate by arguing that globalization homogenizes without destroying the local and the particularistic. For example, Viviana Zelizer (1999) about the economy that it differentiates and proliferates culturally in much the same way as other spheres of social life do, without losing national and even international connectedness. Robertson (1995:34-35) sees the global as the linking of localities. Issues of music getting de-territorialised Other argument is that the original is getting lost in the wake of globalisation. Other sets of arguments which emerge from this view are : How do listeners identify music with a particular place? The evolution and geographic distribution of instruments, use of specific melodies or scales, and existence of common rhythms are some key characteristics that help define and limit the territorial range of a music. How common traits can provide telltale clues about where a form of music originated and how it spread? How can music retain its association with certain places in an increasingly global society? If these questions could be answered the music could be retained as intact. IDENTITIES: Music and its origin Other argument flows that in a globalised village, where is the identity of the music? Four basic positions are highlighted in the successive integration of both MUSIC and identities, from separation to fusion: demonizing exclusion, primitivist polarization, diversifying hybridization and normalizing assimilation. Lomax also states that due to the widespread distribution of industrialized music and the loss of music that exemplifies cultural aspects and characteristics, civilizations are not maintaining a sense of national pride and identity. Without these distinguishing lines, Schiller states that at one time it was cultural diversity that flourished, and now we are witnessing the diffusion of such a process, if such a process of cultural breakdown were to keep evolving, we would have to face a global consumer monoculture. AMERICANISATION: Westernisation or polarisation of music Another argument of the discourses on the globalisation of music is that the music which is going global is by and large Americanised. One of the major fears associated with the globalization of music is the creation of a global monoculture. Barlow investigates how the global monoculture has infiltrated every corner of the earth. He feels that North American corporate culture, including the music industry, is destroying local tradition, knowledge, skill, artisans and values. Specifically artisans have been affected through the fact that the product that they have tried to market has been outdated and overrun by the popstar garbage that has taken over the world and destroyed cultures. The premise of Barlows argument finds that this is corporate America is not only destroying traditions, but it is burying a cultures overall identity. As best said by Nawal Hassan, a Egyptian artisan activist, This is an issue of identity. All our civilizations has ceased to be spiritual. Our civilizati on has become commercial. (Barlow 2001) I came up with the view that People arguing over the loss of a nations cultural identity, the terror of westernization, and the reign of cultural imperialism. Through topics such as these we explore the possibilities or the existence of hybridization of cultures and values, and what some feel is the exploitation of their heritage. One important aspect that is not explored that such influences can also be more than just a burden and an overstepping of bounds. These factors can create an educational environment as well as a reaffirmation of ones own culture. With the music being the highly profitable, capitalist enterprise that it is today, it is no wonder that it is controlled and regulated by a few large conglomerates. COMMERCIALISATION: Consumerism of music Another issue of debate is that the transnational corporations are making money on music, whether the music is twisted or re-mixed. So it is a kind of threat on the originality of the music. Growth of a profitable and varied music services industry producing everything from remixes to music marketing strategies. Standing at the forefront of this growth industry are a large number of firms attempting to combine in innovative ways music and ICT. This can take a variety of forms, for instance: selling and distributing music over the internet; web design and computerised advertising services tailored to music products; software design focused on multimedia products and virtual instruments; high-tech post-production and mixing services; and virtual centres and communities of music industry actors. Brunnette in empirical studies of market concentration in music (1990, 1993),reports that seven corporations together controlled no less than 50 percent of market share in any country where they had operations and up to 80 percent in some countries (199:104-5).The seven corporations, with their nation of origin and reported 1990 sales, are:Sony (Japan, $3 billion), Time/Warner (U.S., $2.9 billion),Polygram(Netherlands/Germany, $2.6 billion), Bertelsmann Media Group (Germany, $2 billion),Thorn/EMI (U.K., $1.88 billion),MCA(U.S., $1 billion), and Virgin (U.K., $500 million), total 1990 sales $13.88 billion (1993, pp. 141-143).With no. such as these it is nearly impossible to deny the fact that these companies do not have a great affect on the influence of music and media that they distribute. Conglomerates not only run the market for music,but determine which music is to be distributed and to where, therefore pushing an idea or culture onto a nation. Seeing that westernization has beco me a industry term for many businesses it is surprising that recently much of the profit that has been received from music conglomerates has been non-U.S. artists. The contemporary music industry The making of music is not only a cultural and sociological process but an economic one. However, economic geography perhaps because of a lingering productivist bias has yet to undertake a serious appraisal of the dynamics of the music industry (see Sadler 1995). Trends of globalization, internal corporate restructuring and global-local relations are, however, as evident here as in other sectors. In 1992, the music industry generated worldwide sales of US$29 000 million, dominated by just five major global corporations: Warners, Bertlesmann Music Group, Polygram International Group, EMI-Virgin and Sony. Seventy per cent of world record sales were generated in just five national markets, each dominated by the majors which between them captured 73 per cent of sales in the USA (31 per cent of the global market), 60 pe cent of sales in Japan (15 per cent), 90 per cent of sales in Germany (9 per cent), 73 per cent of sales in the UK (7 per cent) and 87 per cent of sales in France (7 per c ent) (Monopolies and Mergers Commission 1994). (Leyshon. Mayshell, Revill: 427) Music and traditions? The music is a tradition? It is another issue of debate. Because there are other instances which suggest that sometimes the popular music of a place was against the traditions. In some cases, as with jazz, Greek rebetika, and the Argentine tango, the emergent popular music styles came from the colorful underworlds of urban taverns and brothels. As such styles grew in sophistication, they came to attract the interest of cultural nationalists and middle-class enthusiasts. Eventually these styles shed their less reputable origins and developed into dynamic national genres. Powne (1968:vii-viii) referred to a debased or Westernized music in Ethiopia, and Price (l930a; 16) to the slovenly and immoral music called jazz, which he regarded as crude, negroid in form and vulgar. Even the sensitive scholar Kunst referred to the partially Western-derived genre of Indonesian kroncong as a monotonous and characterless wail,listing it as one of the causes why the native is either dying away or dege nerating (ibid.) Some writers have indulged in a romantic zeal to save traditional music everywhere from the contamination that was often supposed to result from musical contact between the West and the non-West. Fryer (ibid., 482) laments cuts in musical education, For Fryer, the environment of pop is an anti-culture with universally commercialized African rhythm undermining the universal cultural standards of the classical wester canon. For Bunge, the new and global is to be celebrated because it is popular and young; Fryer (ibid, 482) chastises a resurrection by a professed radical of the discredited economic doctrine of consumer sovereignty. (Leyshon. Matless, Revill: 424) Caroline Bithell says, The world music marketplace opens up a new area of representation of a culture by its own participants, while the high density of recording in its turn stimulates an increased preoccupation within the culture with questions of musical identity, all of which provides fertile ground for ethnomusicological research. The ensuing detective work is aimed not at flushing out cases of inauthenticity, but at uncovering ever more pieces of a multi-dimensional jigsaw rich in unexpected meetings and happy accidents and documented in different ways by field recordings and commercial recordings alike. While some of the groups identify themselves completely with the notion of the tradition, regardless of what they are actually doing in practice, others are quite clear that they are simply doing what they want to do and resent the imposition of the spectre of tradition as a restrictive framework (e.g. Minicale interview 1994). They do not in any case view the tradition as some thing fixed this can only lead to ossificationbut as a continually evolving organic entity which needs to find contemporary forms of expression (e.g. Poli interview 1995). (Bithell: 61) They feel that they should not be held to ransom by the notion of tradition or More precisely by other peoples perception of their tradition. (They remain concerned, nonetheless, that they should be seen as being grounded in the tradition.) What is at stake is not what is done but the way in which the traditional label is appropriated. At the same time, the concept of tradition itself is clearly flexible and contested and does not necessarily imply either great age or superior status. (The alternative designation popular does not share this problem but, in the modern media age, creates new difficulties. It also fails to bestow a sufficiently elevated aura.) There is also a danger of idealising or romanticising the workings of the oral tradition where songs were passed down directly from one generatio n to the next. In reality, the process did not always run smoothly. Some older singers were jealous of their repertoire and reluctant to pass on their secrets to younger singers. In many places, singing remained the prerogative of the older men (Sarrocchi interview). The availability of commercial recordings means that some of these human difficulties can be by-passed and the younger generations of singers can empower themselves as and when they are ready to do so.( Bithell: 62) Globalisation of music J. Mc Gregor Wise : Music is a landscape in which people negotiate their identities. There is prevalent a view that the growing ease with which capital and commodities cross international boundaries will serve to erode and perhaps even obliterate that which might be considered local. This particular conviction invokes a range of starkly different political responses. On the one hand, there are high modernists like Anthony Giddens who foresee that individuals will be enabled increasingly to transcend the strictures of the local in order to participate in what is understood as the rather richer environs of a global community forged out of the communications revolution (Giddens 1991, pp. 1467; 1998, p. 36). On the other, there is a swelling band of critics who fear that globalisation entails simply the homogenisation of cultural practice and taste. These anxieties are captured best perhaps in the lucid polemic of Naomi Klein (2000). While the contention that trans-national forces are inexorably eroding that which is particular to given societies exercises considerable a ppeal, it has of course been challenged in various quarters. Some social scientists have sought to suggest that the process of globalisation will not in fact impose homogeneity but rather will illuminate and foster the local. This particular reading of contemporary social trends finds an especially keen illustration in a new book by Andy Bennett. In Popular Music and Youth Culture we encounter a distinctive conception of the ways in which the social world is experienced and understood. The author sets out to challenge the view that popular music constitutes a cultural text that has a meaning independent of its audience. Social actors are not Bennett insists mere cultural innocents who passively consume the wares of the music business. On the contrary, he argues, people are in fact reflexive agents who interpret and appropriate popular music in ways that are critical and creative. As a consequence, the meanings of musical texts should be acknowledged not as singular and given but r ather as plural and contested. The particular reading advanced within Popular Music and Youth Culture insists not only that social actors engage critically with popular music but that they do so principally in the context of the local. This is defined throughout the text not as a demarcated physical space but rather as a set of discourses. The specific discursive practices through which the local is called into being are, Bennett asserts, intimately associated with the production and consumption of popular music. Those musical texts that originate elsewhere are routinely read through sensibilities that emerge out of a specific understanding of place. These particular sensibilities are themselves, however, heavily influenced by exposure to musical texts that originate else- where. Looking at musicalised forms of social practice would seem to suggest, therefore, that the relationship of the global to the local is a complex one not of dominance but rather of dialogue. (See Willet : rev iew) African American musical adaptations formed the roots of blues, jazz, and other genres of modern music in the United States. But elsewhere in the Americas, especially in the Caribbean and Brazil, drums remained integral to the black musical tradition. In these areas, African music has mixed with both indigenous and non-African traditions to produce a variety of musical styles, including calypso and reggae. Further Andrew Leyshon, David Matless, George Revill, talk about universal and national music. Shepherd, the assumed fixed criteria against which all music can be judged are rooted in the musical languages of ruling groups privileging the classical over the popular and the masculine against the feminine. Such cultural distinctions were brought to bear both within and beyond thewest.n Leppert and McClary (1987, xviii) show how such formulations have legitimized western sophistication and complexity against the primitive and suggest that ethnomusicological questioning of music and society has been acceptable only when applied to other cultures: recognizing that other musics are bound up with social values does not necessarily lead to the conclusion that our music likewise might be: more often it simply results in the chauvinistic, ideological reaffirmation of the superiority of Western art, which is still widely held to be autonomous.

Hiding Behind the Words :: Writing Education Self Analysis

Hiding Behind the Words As I look back at the first paper I wrote for this class, I see lots of things I needed to improve on. I was simple minded in many of my ideas that I wrote about. Throughout the paper I only elaborated on a few thoughts and ideas. It all could have been summed up in two paragraphs. My opening paragraph talked about my whole paper. "A university education is important to me. By getting a degree in geography I hope to improve my knowledge and increase my chances for a good job. Not only will I gain knowledge but also gain the experience of university life as a student. By receiving my education I will prepare myself for a job and improve my communication with other people." After the first paragraph I bullshitted through the rest of the paper. I had repetition over and over again. For example in paragraph three I wrote, "I have chosen my major in Geography because I find it interesting and hope to obtain a job in the field." This repetition can be seen in the opening paragraph above. It also is in the last paragraph, "Bemidji University will have prepared me with the knowledge I need to obtain a job in Geography." If I were to make a revision on the paper I would need to cut down on the repetition, this is not the only example throughout the paper. My first paper was also written in the official style and the five theme essay. I stated my theme in the first paragraph and everything form there on pertained to the theme. I did not elaborate on other things that make a university education important to me. I needed to reconstruct my thoughts and dig deeper to find the real meaning behind my university education. As I read this paper again it was plain, simple and not very interesting to read. It was simple in a way that everyone probably has the same thoughts and could write it just like I did. To make it more interesting I could leave the theme, and change the voice and style within the paper. The voice in the paper pertained to the normal student who wrote about their education. It was plain and did not express any real values I had toward my education. Sure I want to graduate, get a job, and have fun, but doesn't everyone want to do this? Hiding Behind the Words :: Writing Education Self Analysis Hiding Behind the Words As I look back at the first paper I wrote for this class, I see lots of things I needed to improve on. I was simple minded in many of my ideas that I wrote about. Throughout the paper I only elaborated on a few thoughts and ideas. It all could have been summed up in two paragraphs. My opening paragraph talked about my whole paper. "A university education is important to me. By getting a degree in geography I hope to improve my knowledge and increase my chances for a good job. Not only will I gain knowledge but also gain the experience of university life as a student. By receiving my education I will prepare myself for a job and improve my communication with other people." After the first paragraph I bullshitted through the rest of the paper. I had repetition over and over again. For example in paragraph three I wrote, "I have chosen my major in Geography because I find it interesting and hope to obtain a job in the field." This repetition can be seen in the opening paragraph above. It also is in the last paragraph, "Bemidji University will have prepared me with the knowledge I need to obtain a job in Geography." If I were to make a revision on the paper I would need to cut down on the repetition, this is not the only example throughout the paper. My first paper was also written in the official style and the five theme essay. I stated my theme in the first paragraph and everything form there on pertained to the theme. I did not elaborate on other things that make a university education important to me. I needed to reconstruct my thoughts and dig deeper to find the real meaning behind my university education. As I read this paper again it was plain, simple and not very interesting to read. It was simple in a way that everyone probably has the same thoughts and could write it just like I did. To make it more interesting I could leave the theme, and change the voice and style within the paper. The voice in the paper pertained to the normal student who wrote about their education. It was plain and did not express any real values I had toward my education. Sure I want to graduate, get a job, and have fun, but doesn't everyone want to do this?

Contrast between Sam and Hallys Father in Athol Fugards Master Harold

Contrast between Sam and Hally's Father in Athol Fugard's "Master Harold" . . . and the Boys "Any white man is a master of all black men"; "the black society is primitive"- these are some of the ideas that have been nursed to Hally in South Africa's apartheid society. The question is: are those bigoted stereotypes true? Of course they are false! In the play Master Harold and the Boys, Sam is a black man, and Hally's father is a white man. However, Sam's superiority over Hally's father is obvious through the contrast between their relationships with Hally. Ironically, it is evident that, most of the time, the relationship between Hally and Sam is closer to a father-son relationship than that between Hally and his father. One of the most important things that a father can te...

Ecotopia vs. the United States: The Effects of Sustainable Education Es

School is a fundamental location for the child’s mind to grow and prosper and the child is able to socialize and adhere to the environment that he or she learns about. In addition to education, simply being a component within the institution also formulates our beliefs. Schools are a prime institution to learn about green education in which it will prepare students to be sustainable in the future. In Ernest Callenbach’s Ecotopia, the protagonist, Will, travels to an ecological utopia where he learns how to live in a sustainable or an Ecotopian manner. Unlike the fictional story of Ecotopia, the United States’ way of living is vastly different. I am going compare and contrast the elementary educational systems and the role of teachers, students, and curriculum discussed in Ecotopia to the United States. Furthermore, I am going to argue that no educational system prepares the youth to be truly sustainable but there must be an ideal medium that addresses both Ecotop ian and United States values to become â€Å"greener† citizen. The idea of being a â€Å"green† citizen conveys the idea of living a natural life and making minimal yet better ecological choices. Teachers induce thinking and beliefs within their students, and elementary teachers within Ecotopia illustrate the importance of free agency in an ecological world. There are elementary teachers in Ecotopia who specialize in certain subjects in which they aspire their students to stimulate and indulge in their own goals and interests (Callenbach 128). Although Ecotopian teachers provide tutelage for instructing all subjects, they support the idea that their country has â€Å"crossed over into the age of biology† in which the majority of their focus is towards biology (Callenbach 126 - 129). Ec... ...abling students to have core knowledge that is necessary to be a â€Å"greener† citizen in the future. An ideal green citizen lives a normal life while making sustainable choices. However, Ecotopia and the United States’ educational systems do not contrive their students to achieve such ideals. In an Ecotopian school, students learn about the Earth but are not educated about other subjects. Vice versa, in American schools, students learn all subjects but none specific to sustainability. To ultimately prepare the youth for the future, there is a need of equilibrium of both systems in which students are educated in all subjects with knowledge of the eco-system. Having a well-rounded education with specificity of sustainability, students can adjudicate their own â€Å"green† ideals and act upon them in which they are able to establish new solution to unsustainable issues. â€Æ' Ecotopia vs. the United States: The Effects of Sustainable Education Es School is a fundamental location for the child’s mind to grow and prosper and the child is able to socialize and adhere to the environment that he or she learns about. In addition to education, simply being a component within the institution also formulates our beliefs. Schools are a prime institution to learn about green education in which it will prepare students to be sustainable in the future. In Ernest Callenbach’s Ecotopia, the protagonist, Will, travels to an ecological utopia where he learns how to live in a sustainable or an Ecotopian manner. Unlike the fictional story of Ecotopia, the United States’ way of living is vastly different. I am going compare and contrast the elementary educational systems and the role of teachers, students, and curriculum discussed in Ecotopia to the United States. Furthermore, I am going to argue that no educational system prepares the youth to be truly sustainable but there must be an ideal medium that addresses both Ecotop ian and United States values to become â€Å"greener† citizen. The idea of being a â€Å"green† citizen conveys the idea of living a natural life and making minimal yet better ecological choices. Teachers induce thinking and beliefs within their students, and elementary teachers within Ecotopia illustrate the importance of free agency in an ecological world. There are elementary teachers in Ecotopia who specialize in certain subjects in which they aspire their students to stimulate and indulge in their own goals and interests (Callenbach 128). Although Ecotopian teachers provide tutelage for instructing all subjects, they support the idea that their country has â€Å"crossed over into the age of biology† in which the majority of their focus is towards biology (Callenbach 126 - 129). Ec... ...abling students to have core knowledge that is necessary to be a â€Å"greener† citizen in the future. An ideal green citizen lives a normal life while making sustainable choices. However, Ecotopia and the United States’ educational systems do not contrive their students to achieve such ideals. In an Ecotopian school, students learn about the Earth but are not educated about other subjects. Vice versa, in American schools, students learn all subjects but none specific to sustainability. To ultimately prepare the youth for the future, there is a need of equilibrium of both systems in which students are educated in all subjects with knowledge of the eco-system. Having a well-rounded education with specificity of sustainability, students can adjudicate their own â€Å"green† ideals and act upon them in which they are able to establish new solution to unsustainable issues. â€Æ'

Life in Russia

It is quite possible that Russia may be best known for it†s long, and bitter winters. This extreme coldness also aided the country as a whole by keeping invaders at bay; For example, Adolf Hitler, and his Nazi army, were hesitant in entering the country during World War II. In Moscow, snow covers the ground for at least five months of the year. In the Northernmost region of Russia, there is snow present for between eight and ten months. Most of the coastal waters, such as: ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams, remain frozen during the majority of the year. But after the harsh winter months have past, the weather swings harshly in the opposite direction. During the warmest days of the summer, it is not uncommon for the mercury to hit 100? F, although they average around 60? F. Precipitation throughout the year, rain, sleet, and snow, is usually light to moderate. The wettest part of the country is the European Plain, or the East Siberian Uplands, where rain falls on a daily basis during the spring. The majority of the vast inland receives little or no rain, but approximately four feet of snow during the winter. Russians, like Americans, enjoy watching television, and reading. They also love to play chess; visit the movie theaters; soak up the culture of an opera, or play; travel to a local museum; go for a walk, or participate in sports. The government of Russia strongly supports athletic events, especially team sports. Soccer is unopposed as the most popular participant, and spectator sport in the country. Russians also enjoy gymnastics, basketball, and during the winter, ice hockey is a hit among the children of the countrymen. Russians also enjoy nature. They really enjoy going on hikes, and spending time in the forests. Many have country cottages called dachas. There, they garden, hike, bicycle, swim, fish, gather mushrooms, and take part in the other outdoor activities. Russian people also love going on vacation to places other than their dachas during the summer. Popular vacationing sites include: the Black Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the Volga River. In Russia, fighting has been a way of life, as seen during all parts of its history. Russia has been a fighting country since the 800†³s. They were involved in constant war with the Mongols. Also, civil war has been a enormous problem for the Russians. In the early 1600†³s, a civil war broke out, inspired by an invasion by the Mongols, and the political confusing that followed about killed the country as a whole. Most recently, Russia was involved in World War I, fighting countries such as Germany, and Austria-Hungary. Shortly after, there was another civil war between the Communists and the anti-Communists. This war lasted two years, and ended up with a communist victory that led to the establishment of the USSR, or the Union of Soviet Social Republics, or in Russian, Rus Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, A union of the several countries that lay around Russia. Politically the USSR was divided (from 1940 to 1991) into 15 constituent or union republics-, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Estonia Gerogia, Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldavia Russia, Tadzhikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan, until its breakup in 1991. Since then, Russia, and other Soviet republics have become independent nations. The most well known being the Ukraine. Ukraine broke off, and quickly established its own currency, the Ukraine Ruble. The Ukraine is constantly bragging to Russia of all its wealth, but the Ukraine also boasts much higher inflation, and higher unemployment, for they are not as successful as they brag to Russia to be. Russia†s health care is free to its citizens. The government cares a lot about the health of its citizens, and it most certainly shows. They†re committed to meeting the basic needs of its people. Because of their poor economic state, the government does not have sufficient funds to support its health-care systems. This has led to medicine and equipment shortages, and low wages for health-care providers. Russia has an abundance of farmland. Due to the short growing season, insufficient rainfall, and lack of fertile soil, farming in Russia is extremely difficult. Many of the farms are operated like government factories. These farms are called sovkhozys. People do work, but don†t have much say in what†s grown. The other farms, called Kolkhozys, are government controlled, but partly managed by the farmers. What goes on here is that the farmers decide what to grow and the government tells them if it is acceptable to them or not. The major crops grown in Russia are barely, fruits, oats, potatoes, sunflowers, rye, sugar beets, and wheat. The diet of the Russians is very healthy and hearty. They eat bread virtually every meal. They also consume large quantities of sugar. Their main method of preparing food is by frying. They also drink large amounts of tea because coffee is too expensive. Their trademark drink is Vodka. They also drink wine, champagne, beer, and other alcoholic beverages. Alcohol abuse has been and remains to be a major social problem in Russia. The education in Russia is much different then the USA†s method of education its people. It consists of first through 10th grade, plus higher education. Using this method, which may seem abridged to Americans, eliminates two years of useless classes, and allows for Russians to leave school, and either begin to work, or go on to higher education. Elementary school consists of first through fourth grade. Classes meet six days a week for 4 ? hours a day with shorter periods on Saturday. Courses include math, art, music, language, P. E. , simple skills, and history. Intermediate grades consist of fifth through eighth grade. They meet thirty hours a week and are taught, zoology, physics, geography, shop work, and chemistry. Secondary grades consist of ninth through tenth grades and consist of math, science and work skills in different trades. This is to meet the governments need for specialists in science and Industry. Graduates with high marks receive medals and are relieved from required mandatory services so the can continue their education; these mandatory services include 2 years of military service for all graduates, except when they are relieved to pursue higher education. The higher schools that are present in Russia consist of 650 specialized schools and 70 universities which are currently educating some 6 ? illion students. Most programs take five years to complete, and then they must work for the government for 3 years, in order to repay their country for relieving them of their mandatory military service. They receive their diploma after one year of work. Russia thinks education is their road to success, and instead of offering countless useless classes, Russia provides healthy education, with strong emphasis on chemistry. They have over 52 million students and a strong majority of Russia†s country men are able to read and write in their native language. The U. S. S. R has a long constitution that gives all political power to the people and their elected representatives. However the country†s completely controlled by the communists. The Soviet Union lets no other political party to oppose the communist party. The ironic thing is only 17 million of the people in Russia are actually communists. Russia†s government resembles a triangle because each government body has to report to a higher authority. At the top of this triangle is the Supreme Soviet of the USSR The members are elected to 5 year terms and they only meet twice a year for about two weeks. They pass without question all the laws proposed by the communists party. The freedom of the Supreme Soviet is the head of state or president. He is elected by the communist leaders and he handles legislative matters between sessions of the Supreme Soviet. The council of Ministers are another government group in Russia and are the highest executive body. It controls economic and cultural life through various ministries and committees. The council of ministries also handles relations with other nations. It consists of 120 members, many of them are the highest ranking officials in the communist party. The Russian Orthodox Church was the central religion of Russia until the communists came to power. Communists are atheistic (people who are against the belief in God or Gods) and they view religion as â€Å"Opium for the people† a drug, or disease. When the communists came to power they destroyed churches and killed church leaders. However religion in Russia survived. In the 1940†³s, persecutions and restrictions eased up mainly because the church supported the governments choice of being involved in world war two. Then in the late 1850†³s the communists began closing non official places of worship. They also tried hard to discourage religion through education and propaganda. Still religion survived, there are 20 to 45 million followers of the Russian Orthodox Church; The people in the former Soviet Union are still among the most spiritually open people in the world – especially the youth – and for this, the number is rising. Muslims are the second largest religious group. Some religions like Jehovah†s witness are strictly prohibited by the communists. Russian language is remarkably similar even though there is such a diverse population. Russian language is understood from the west to the east part of the country. The Russian language is based on the Cyrillic alphabet. Certain minorities in Russia have their own language but they speak Russian as a second language. Russia like most countries has both urban and rural life styles. ? of Russia†s people live in cities. Russia has 35 cities that have 800,000 people or more, and Moscow along with St. Petersberg has 4 million. Many modern conveyances such as plumbing and air conditioning are not found. There is also a shortage of food and too much crime in Russian cities. Farmers populate much of Russia rural areas. There is also a lot less education and health care in the rural areas of Russia, for schools are not easily paid for in areas such as these. Russia is one of the richest countries on natural resource. Russia†s vast area provides for a lot of forest space, and water for hydraulic energy. There are also extensive mineral deposits. Russia also has a wide variety of plant and animal life. Industry is vital to Russia†s economy. Moscow and St. Petersberg are the biggest areas for manufacturing in Russia. Russia produces a lot heavy machinery and has many chemical, oil, and plant refineries as well. St. Petersberg also has a large ship building industry, and an even larger airplane parts industry. There is heavy trading with the US in airplane parts. Russia†s chemical plants produce items such as chemical fibers, mineral fertilizers, plastics, and synthetic resins. Transportation in Russia is very difficult because of its lack of roads and it†s vastness. Trains are the most common form of transportation and shipping. Aero Flat is Russia†s national airline and makes up most airline travel, although most people are unable to afford the enormous bill created by purchasing an airline ticket through Aero Flat. Roads are not commonly found because only 60 out of every 1,000 Russians own a car. City travel in Russia is taken care of by buses, trains, and subways. Communication equipment is unevenly distributed and not modernized, because of this only 15 out of every 100 Russians own a telephone. Russia is in a state of economic turmoil at the moment. It has had a lot of trouble moving from a centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. However Russia is making advancements under president Yeltsin; Inflation fell from 131% to 22% in 1996. These advancements are partially due to the fact that now, 80% of industry is now privatized; meaning, that 80% of all goods produced in Russia, are produced in a private sector of the country, by companies who control themselves. As of May 16, 1999, one United States Dollar would be converted into 24. 7367 Russian Rubles. Currently over 30 billion United States Dollars circulate throughout Russia, for just as in all foreign countries, the Russians hold on to the Dollars, and when the exchange rate is just right, they can make a pretty profit from their Dollar. Unemployment is not a very big problem in Russia. Only 9. 3% of its population remain unemployed, leaving a 73 million manned labor force ready to work. Many of these men work closely with the government, packaging and shipping exports, or receiving and checking over its imports. Major exports of the country include petroleum, natural gas, metals, and chemicals. Hard to find in Russia, and therefore heavily imported are: machinery, medicines, meat, grains, and especially sugar. The majority of this trading is done with North America, although Russia is also close trade partners with most of Europe, Japan, and some third world countries.